Forbidden Desire: My Ex-Husband’s Father

4

OPHELIA

The look of disgust on my face worsened “I don’t understand what you’re talking about” my blood boiled with rage, yet, I held onto the beams of the door to try to contain it.

“I mean….you’ve always had eyes for another— haven’t you?” Anna asked with a sly tone, slowly approaching me with a hand on her stomach. I knew the only reason she did that was to make an obvious point.

“Aaron is your blood but as of now” I looked to Anna and back to him “He deserves a better father”I snarled, my hands still on the beam of the door.

Anna laughed softly, resting a hand on her stomach.

“You’re so sure about that?”

She tilted her head, her smile slow and cruel.

“Aaron isn’t Jason’s child—is he?”

“Babe…what is she still doing in our house?” She asked, chewing on some candy.

“It’s your call— I’ll send her packing the moment you say the word” he looked at her with ecstasy, his eyes drawn to her, it made me feel shallow.

“You cannot do this to me Anna- you’ve taken my husband, my pride and joy and now you want the house?” I sobbed, while trying so hard to hide my tears.

“Oh yes I can” she smiled at me, then looked over to Jason. Moving in an instant, he barged through the door, pushing me aside as my body plopped to the hard floor.

Almost immediately, I noticed a group of people follow in from right behind “No, no, please..please this can’t be happening” I pleaded as they shoved me aside.

“Get up the stairs and get all her belongings out here— right now” Jason said firmly as Anna slipped her hand in his.

“Why are you doing this to me Anna?—this isn’t fair, we’re meant to be family” I sobbed, wiping the tears from my eyes with the back of my hand.

“Mummy, mummy” Aaron called out as he rushed towards us. I held onto my son as the rowdy men sent by Jason had sent down our luggage.

“I never asked for a sister,” Anna said coldly. “But you came first. And I hated you for it.”

I didn’t respond. Swallowing hard, I picked up my already arranged luggage, holding my son in one hand, I walked out the door.

“Isn’t daddy coming with us?” my son mumbled.

“No, sweetheart,” I whispered. “He chose not to be.” I forced a smile as I walked out onto the street, hailing a cab almost immediately so I wouldn’t watch that stupid smirk on Anna’s fast last.

The night air bit into my skin as the car pulled away, the streetlights blurring through my tears. I pressed my forehead against the window, willing myself not to look back. That house wasn’t just bricks and walls- it held every memory of who I used to be. A wife. A woman who believed love was enough.

My hands trembled as I wrapped my arms around Aaron, his small body warm against mine. He stirred in his sleep, mumbling something I couldn’t make out, and the sound nearly shattered me. How could adults be so cruel when a child was the one paying the price?

I replayed Anna’s words in my head, over and over, each one slicing deeper than the last. I hated you for it. Hatred. All this time, I thought I was protecting a sister who had already decided to destroy me.

Something inside me hardened then- quiet, steady, unfamiliar. I had lost my home. I had lost my marriage. But I had not lost my mind, and I had not lost my will.

They thought breaking me would make this easy.

They were wrong.

I wiped my face before Aaron could see me cry again. Whatever game they thought they were playing, I would learn the rules. For my son. For myself. And when this was over, they wouldn’t just regret underestimating me—

they would fear it.

****

“Welcome to my humble abode” Kayla smiled as she took the luggage from my hand, letting me pick up my son with much ease.

“Thank you so much Kayla” I responded with an expression of perplexity written all over my face.

“Your room’s right this way” she said, taking the luggage as she led the way. I placed Aaron onto the bed as his eyes had begun to close “I guess he’s so sleepy” Kayla said at the door.

I crunched my nose and planted a kiss on his forehead “Good night my baby” I whispered before walking out of the room.

“He’s out cold” I said softly, which Kayla laughed almost too loudly to. “Thankfully he is, I really don’t know how I’d explain things to a two year old”

“I can’t believe they did this— it’s your home and Anna, I didn’t think she’d be this cruel” she rubbed on my shoulder “But then again, she had the nerve to get pregnant by Jason”

“You know, at this point, I couldn’t be bothered by that. My problem now is that, they have what is mine, my house, my stock, the deed to everything, they have it all and I don’t know how and I’m scared that if I involve a lawyer, it’d be way worse’ I may end up in jail” I placed my palm on my forehead.

“Calm down— relax. For now, you can stay here, strategize, get things in order, you can stay as long as you want” she paused, handing me a glass of water “Drink this- have some dinner cause I know you haven’t had any and we can come up with something” she suggested.

“I can’t eat—not right now” I took a glass of water and gulped it in one sitting. “I’ve been running from the truth all this while and I’m tired of it. They both need to be brought to Justice. Heck, I can’t even remember signing those papers and last I checked with the hospital,

“I was diagnosed with temporary amnesia,” I said quietly.

“Wait— you have temporary amnesia?” Kayla asked

“Yeah- I remember a conversation I had with a doctor” there was a light sting in my head “I think his name was doctor Barnes” I struggled to say before plopping to the chair.

“Oh my God Ophelia- you okay?” She asked with concern.

“Yeah I’m fine. I think pieces of my memory are coming to me. I mean, I don’t know how or why but I’m starting to remember stuff” I responded, trying to sit upright.

“Why don’t you have some rest first?”

“No—no I can’t. If the memories keep flooding it’ll be better. In the meantime, we need to think of something, something that’ll take them both down” I said with a banging headache.

“Anything you are determined to do, I would be happy to help and be by your side” she held onto my hand as she crouched down.

“Wh—why are you so nice to me?” I asked with teary eyes as I recalled choosing family over everything in the past.

“You don’t remember? When I first got into college on a scholarship with no accommodation, you let me stay in your dorm and even apartment for three years. I know your memory is a bit hazy but I still remember the good things you did for me, for strangers, I always want to repay the favor” she answered in a low voice.

“Your sister is a jerk and I’ll be happy to put her in her place” she paused. “But it looks like you’re so determined—do you have something in mind?” She asked with a quirky smile.

“What if I find a way to get him to sign the deed back to me?” I asked

“That’s never gonna happen you know that” she said, tilting her head “Unless”

“Unless what?” I abruptly cut in.

“Do you remember what happened at the wedding today?” She asked, trying to get a reaction.

“When I flipped on those idiots at the party?” I said with an obvious expression “I wish I could’ve knocked some of their teeth out” I said with an exasperated sigh

“Me too but that’s not what I’m trying to point out. Did you notice something else? Like Jason being a total douche around his father? I mean step father” she asked again.

“It literally just happened hours ago— what are you trying to say?”

“What I’m trying to say is that- he grovels at the feet of Mr Thorne. I mean, why wouldn’t he?” She scoffed.

“Who is he?” I asked with a shrug.

“Elias Thorne isn’t just powerful,” Kayla said quietly. “He’s the kind of man people fear disappointing.”

“So what does that have to do with me?” I asked, obviously not getting the point.

“What if you can get Jason to sign the deeds back to you using the bane of his stupid existence’ Elias Thorne” she smiled.

“And how do I do that? Because the Thorne mistress?” I laughed. She didn’t.

“You want me to be Elias Thorne’s mistress?” I exclaimed.